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Happy New Year to all readers of this thread and good birding, especially to anyone entering "The Big Year". May 2013 bring lots of great birds and I will update this thread as much as possible throughout the year. Just a short walk to the beach party today and a quick dip. (In the sea that is!) Audouin's gull, Black redstart, Hoopoe and Thekla lark was a nice start. Mike

It's looking less likely that there will be any group visits to Mallorca this year but I hope to be able to make at least one 'private' one as there are a couple of bits of research that I need to undertake.

Mortitx is the place to be at the moment. Bramblings and Hawfinches have been seen, both difficult here. Also a mega rare Yellowhammer has also been seen,
I went today but no luck, going again Wednesday. Good numbers of Common Crane being seen at Maria de la Salut.

I've just returned from Tunisia as it wasn't a birding holliday I only got to birdwatch around the hotel grounds so I'm really looking forward to my Mallorca holliday booked for May which will be strictly birding, I can't wait to get back there!

Happy New Year to you too Martin, I do hope you make it sometime in the year. Thanks for your good wishes for the "Big Year" but I am miles behind already having had a string of visitors here. It will have to be a case of the tortoise and the hare!

The Majorcan "Big Year" already has someone who's passed the 100th mark... (consider that in just 10 days...)
Among the latest interesting species seen, a Jack Snipe at the Albufera, a Marsh Sandpiper at Salobrar and Red-billed Chough in the southern part of the Tramontana mountains

Over 100 is a great start, I am on 28. Will be going to Salobrar at the week-end. Any news of the Yellowhammer? Was it just seen once or have others seen it since? I located Cirl Bunting at Mortitx but could not see a Yellowhammer in with them! Mike

A Common Scoter Melanitta nigra seen in Porto Colom a few days ago. Good rarity for the Balearics! here's a link to the new Balearic rarity blog:http://rareresesornibalears.blogspot.com.es/ Some stuff in English, and the jist is easy to follow

Two "Big Yearers" now on plus 120 species. Everyone's really pleased about how this "competition" is getting everyone out more and the great publicity bird conservation is getting. Hopefully get a few articles in the local papers.

On another note a good invasion of Siskins, Goldcrest, Redwing and Mistle Thrush on the island, these species are really irregular migrants here, we can go loads of winters without seeing them.

Hi,
Planning a trip for a week commencing 26th April. Looking at staying in Puerto Pollensa but not hiring a car. Made a similar trip about 3 years ago. Has much changed? Can anyone recommend some other places we may try. Last time we went to Boquer Valley and S'Albufera Marshes quite extensively. Hoping the bus routes may tie in with some good birding areas.
Thanks
Rachel

Hi Rachel. Pretty much everything is the same here, you have been to the hotspots and are staying in the right place. Albufereta Marsh is also great as you probably know. The watchtower at Albercutx is fantastic for migration and you will be here at the right time. I will keep posting with sightings and will try to help further nearer the time. Mike

I would recommend s'Albufereta (on the Bay of Pollensa), Son Real (just after C'an Picafort so may be on the same bus route as s'Albufera). I'd also recommend getting A Birding Tourist's Guide to Majorca (see http://www.birdingmajorca.com).

Thanks Estebannic, the new web site is great and just what is needed here. The "Big Year" has had a big impact, I have written about it twice in the "Daily Bulletin" and more people are now out in the field. Consequently more birds are being found, no surprise there, I always knew the birds were there, just more people looking now. This will all help put Mallorca more on the map as a birding destination. The only surprise is just how seriouusly the locals are taking it, I was out with a guy today who is on 110 so far. I am on 76 so I kept quiet.. Mike

Large flocks of Golden Plover seen today around Salobrar de Campos. Also Red Kite, Osprey, Booted Eagle and lots of Marsh Harrier, Ringtail Hen Harrier, Ruff, Greenshank, over 100 Flamingos and a spanking Bluethroat. 9 Common Crane on the way home too. Mike

Hi Mike
Saw your articles in the Bulletin... Great stuff!! Hopefully we'll get some Spanish covering aswell. Had a drive around this afternoon stopping off at the reservoir near Son Ferriol, plenty of ducks around, Widgeon, Pochard and Tufted Duck among others. At Salobrar later on a Ruff and a Sanderling noteworthy.
I'm on 99 at the moment, missing loads of winterers yet though! A couple of great Skuas have also been seen today.

Hi Richard
Dragonera's definitely worth it as migration will be in full swing by then and many small paserines funnel through there. There's a small ferry that runs from the town of San Telmo when the weather's OK. If I remember correctly it cost around 10euros and does a couple of trips in the morning with the last return from the island at 3pm. On the island the best birding is in the orchard just up from the the port. Also a walk along to either of the lighthouses.

Hi- my name is Hugh Matthews and I have only just discovered this site despite having been to Mallorca every year but one since 2000. I got the new Dave Gosney book and DVD for Christmas and found out about this forum. We go to Mallorca for the school Easter holidays each year, due to my two boys aged 14 and 12, and so I have never been there at the absolute optimum time of late April- early May, but it has always been most enjoyable birding, and my list has got to 162 species so far, despite not being able to bird all the time. We always stay at the Pollensa Park, and only have a car for three days each fortnight, so we tend to be Port de Pollenca bound most of the time, but the bus can get us to Albufereta, Albufera and the excellent Son Real (by walking south from C'an Picafort along the beach). One of my specialities is walking around, after the kids have gone to bed in the hotel,in the completely safe areas around the Hotel seeking out where the Scops Owls are each year, and that is how the present "reliable" ones in the back of the Pollentia Hotel were discovered in 2010. I have also had lots of flyovers at night- Common Sandpipers, Night Herons and Stone Curlews being the most frequent, and I once tracked down some Stone Curlews calling from the beach near the Galeon at the beginning of the Llenaire Road. This year we will be at the PP Hotel from 29 March to 12th April and would be pleased to meet any other resident or visiting birders. I am old enough to remember the meetings hosted by the late David Wellings at the Pollentia, but I suppose that this site is a modern version of that means of finding out what is about. Best wishes- Hugh Matthews- Northampton, UK